Abstract: A gravity meter comprises a casing, a vacuum tube mounted in the casing in a vibration-free manner, a sensor mechanism mounted within the vacuum tube, the sensor mechanism comprising two masses of different size acting on the respective arms of a beam balance comprising a material whose shape is arranged to change in response to changes in gravity and whose shape can be restored by the application of an electrical current thereto, and detector means arranged to provide from the restoring current an output representative of changes in gravity. The material is preferably a piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A arrangement is described for transmitting, radiating and receiving high-frequency signals. The arrangement is comprised of a system connected to a transmitting and receiving device (3) which includes at least one high-frequency element (1) capable of guiding electromagnetic waves and a first signal cable (5) extending parallel thereto. To improve the service reliability of the arrangement, a second signal cable (6) which is also connected to the transmitting and receiving device (3), is arranged parallel to the high-frequency element (1) and maintains a significant spatial separation to the first signal cable (5).

Abstract: A data capture system (1) has modular amplifier circuits (10) connected to modular capture circuits (11) within a rotor 2. Each capture circuit (11) has an FPGA (26) operation according to low-frequency and high-frequency state machines (M1, M2) to control ADCs (25) and upload from memories (30) to a host (15) During sampling, each FPGA (26) runs through a ready mode, a sampling mode, and again a ready mode according to a host command.

Abstract: The invention is directed to bioengineered vascular graft support prostheses prepared from cleaned tissue material derived from animal sources. The bioengineered graft prostheses of the invention are prepared using methods that preserve cell compatibility, strength, and bioremodelability of the processed tissue matrix. The bioengineered graft prostheses are used for implantation, repair, or for use in a mammalian host.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a tubing expansion tool (300) comprising a body (302) adapted for rotation within tubing to be expanded, and three expansion member modules (306) each comprising an expansion member (310) rotatably mounted with respect to the body (302), each expansion member module (306) being releasably coupled to the body (302) as a unit.

Abstract: The invention is directed to bioengineered vascular graft support prostheses prepared from cleaned tissue material derived from animal sources. The bioengineered graft prostheses of the invention are prepared using methods that preserve cell compatibility, strength, and bioremodelability of the processed tissue matrix. The bioengineered graft prostheses are used for implantation, repair, or for use in a mammalian host.

Abstract: A arrangement is described for transmitting, radiating and receiving high-frequency signals. The arrangement is comprised of a system connected to a transmitting and receiving device (3) which includes at least one high-frequency element (1) capable of guiding electromagnetic waves and a first signal cable (5) extending parallel thereto. To improve the service reliability of the arrangement, a second signal cable (6) which is also connected to the transmitting and receiving device (3), is arranged parallel to the high-frequency element (1) and maintains a significant spatial separation to the first signal cable (5).

Abstract: A radiating coaxial radio-frequency cable is specified, that comprises an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the latter and a tubular outer conductor disposed above the latter and concentric with the inner conductor. In the outer conductor, mutually separated openings (5) are provided that are disposed in a mutually offset manner in the circumferential direction of the cable and, in the longitudinal direction of the latter, are disposed along surface lines extending mutually in parallel in rows (R1, R2, R3) extending over the entire length of the cable. All the openings (5) extend essentially in the circumferential direction of the cable.

Abstract: A arrangement is described for transmitting, radiating and receiving high-frequency signals. The arrangement is comprised of a system connected to a transmitting and receiving device (3) which includes at least one high-frequency element (1) capable of guiding electromagnetic waves and a first signal cable (5) extending parallel thereto. To improve the service reliability of the arrangement, a second signal cable (6) which is also connected to the transmitting and receiving device (3), is arranged parallel to the high-frequency element (1) and maintains a significant spatial separation to the first signal cable (5).

Abstract: A laminated film in which a metal foil is sandwiched between two polymeric films is cold formed to define one or more blisters, and the base of the blister stamped with indicia, in two discrete stages. The blister is formed in the first stage using a standard technique of advancing a pin in a direction transverse relative to the plane of the film. According to the invention, once the blister forming stage is completed, indicia are stamped into the base of the blister in the second stage by advancing a die from one side thereof to clamp the blister base against a mold held against the other side. The direction of the die and disposition of the die and mold may be selected such that the indicia project inwardly or outwardly from the blister base.

Abstract: A radiating coaxial radio-frequency cable is specified, that comprises an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the latter and a tubular outer conductor disposed above the latter and concentric with the inner conductor. In the outer conductor, mutually separated openings (5) are provided that are disposed in a mutually offset manner in the circumferential direction of the cable and, in the longitudinal direction of the latter, are disposed along surface lines extending mutually in parallel in rows (R1, R2, R3) extending over the entire length of the cable. All the openings (5) extend essentially in the circumferential direction of the cable.

Abstract: An optical slip ring system (1) has a rotor interface (2) which can bolt on to a high speed rotor in a modular manner. The rotor interface (2) has circular circuit boards (7) containing the necessary drive circuits and power supply circuits for transducers mounted on the rotor. The drive circuit on the boards (7) drive three rings of emitter LEDs (9). The drive is frequency modulated and there are a number of transducers associated with each ring of emitter LEDs (9). These signals are frequency division multiplexed to ensure real time processing takes place. A fixed support (3) has a single receiver LED (15) associated with each ring of emitter LEDs (9). Contactless power is provided by an inductive power supply having a primary winding (16) on the fixed support bracket (3) and a secondary winding (10) on the rotor interface (2).

Abstract: A control arrangement for a multilevel convertor employs an AC reference signal which is locked to the AC system frequency and is compared with a number of DC threshold levels. Intersections of the reference signal and threshold levels triggers the firing and turning-off of GTOs within the convertor to produce the desired multilevel voltage output. Normal changes in system voltage, for example, are compensated by variation of the phase relationship of the reference signal with respect to the system voltage, and/or of the voltage values of the threshold levels. Sudden and drastic changes, especially reductions, in system voltage level are sensed and used to alter the amplitude of the reference signal so as to reduce the difference between the convertor multilevel voltage and the system voltage, thereby reducing the stress on the GTOs during faults.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymeric composition including a blend of at least two different polymers selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyetherimide, polyolefin, polysulphone, polyethersulphone, polyacetal, nylon, polyester, polyphenylene sulphide, polyphenylene oxide and polyetheretherketone and at least one elastomer having a tensile modulus less than about 50,000 p.s.i. Alternatively or additionally, the elastomer may be functionalized to graft with at least one of the polymers. The present invention also provides a method of making a tribological wear system by melt-mixing the polymeric composition to improve the wear resistance of a polymeric composite whose surface bears against another surface, thereby causing friction and wear of the polymeric composite.

Abstract: A wear-resistant solid fluoropolymer composition, e.g. of homo- and copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), which has an extremely low coefficient of friction in dry sliding contact with metal, without the application of additional fluid lubricant, which composition comprises: a) a fluoropolymer, b) a poly(arylene sulphide) and c) another high aromatic polymer; and a process for preparing the foregoing solid fluoropolymer composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymeric composition including a blend of at least two different polymers selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyetherimide, polyolefin, polysulphone, polyethersulphone, polyacetal, nylon, polyester, polyphenylene sulphide, polyphenylene oxide and polyetheretherketone and at least one elastomer having a tensile modulus less than about 50,000 p.s.i. Alternatively or additionally, the elastomer may be functionalized to graft with at least one of the polymers. The present invention also provides a method of making a tribological wear system by melt-mixing the polymeric composition to improve the wear resistance of a polymeric composite whose surface bears against another surface, thereby causing friction and wear of the polymeric composite.